Mechanical Analysis of Hybrid Textile Composites with NiTi Wires

Hybrid textile structures composed by polyamide (PA), Lycra (or Elastane EL), and NiTi thin wires were manufactured. The fabrics were realized by knitting Lycra (EL) as weft and warp filaments and a coupled PA/NiTi yarn through in-laying technique. Superelastic NiTi wire with diameter of 50 μm in both straight annealed and snake-like form and shape memory with a snake-like memorized form were used. The polyamide filament used coupled with the NiTi wire has a diameter around 140 μm, while the textile structure is composed by various Lycra filaments, characterized by different diameters. The textile structures were realized by a circular machine appropriately equipped and used in order to minimize problems related to the use of the thin NiTi alloy filament. To study the influence of NiTi filaments on mechanical properties, specimens taken from textile fabric were analyzed by using a DMA Q800 TA Instruments, equipped with a tension film clamp, in static and dynamic conditions. Force/strain measurements up to 150% in elongation and Tandelta versus frequency were carried out on fabrics with and without NiTi filaments. Finally, some tests strain recovery under load versus temperature are conducted.